Can a woman preach or be a pastor?

Yes—a woman can preach the gospel and serve in pastoral ministry, and Scripture gives us solid ground to stand on for that answer. This isn't a side issue I'm dodging; I've studied it out carefully, because I believe when we say we're going to be apostolic, we mean we teach what's actually in this book—not just the parts that are comfortable or convenient.

Let's go back to Acts chapter 2, because this is where the church actually began, and Peter stands up with the Eleven and explains what's happening by quoting the prophet Joel: "In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy... Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy" (Acts 2:17-18). Now prophesying is speaking forth the Word of God under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. That's preaching, friends. And God said plainly that when the Spirit was poured out, it would fall on sons and daughters, on menservants and maidservants alike. The Holy Spirit doesn't check what's between your legs before He decides to anoint you. He looks at a surrendered, willing vessel.

Look at Romans 16 where Paul greets Phoebe as a deacon of the church at Cenchreae, and he mentions Junia among the apostles (Romans 16:1, 7). Look at Priscilla, who along with her husband Aquila took Apollos aside and "explained to him the way of God more adequately" (Acts 18:26)—she was teaching a man Scripture, and Paul never rebukes her for it, he commends their partnership in ministry. Look at Philip's four daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:9). Look at Deborah in Judges 4, a judge and a prophetess over all Israel, and nobody in that text is arguing she was out of order.

Now people bring up 1 Timothy 2:12 and 1 Corinthians 14:34, and we don't ignore those verses—we study them in their context. Paul is addressing specific disorder in specific congregations, dealing with issues of false teaching and cultural chaos in worship, not laying down a universal ban that contradicts what he affirms elsewhere about women prophesying and laboring in the gospel (1 Corinthians 11:5, Philippians 4:2-3). Scripture doesn't contradict Scripture. When we let the whole counsel of God speak, instead of building a whole doctrine on two isolated verses while ignoring Joel's prophecy, Pentecost's fulfillment, and the women Paul himself calls his co-workers, we get a fuller and truer picture.

Here's my heart in this: God is looking for availability, not gender. He's looking for someone who will say "yes" when He calls, who will lay down pride and self and let the Holy Spirit use them. I've watched God use godly women mightily to win souls, disciple believers, and shepherd His people with real spiritual authority and love. If God has called and equipped and anointed a woman to preach His Word, who are we to tell the Holy Spirit He made a mistake?

So if you're a woman reading this and God has been dealing with your heart, put your "buts" aside and let God have His way. Don't let tradition silence what the Spirit is doing in you. And for all of us, man or woman—let's just be more concerned with saying yes to God than with fitting into somebody's man-made box.

God bless you as you walk with Him.